MUSEUM OF FREE DERRY

Opened in 2007 by the Bloody Sunday Trust organization, and expanded in 2017, this museum is located in Free Derry, a self-proclaimed nationalist enclave between 1969 and 1972, in the historically charged Bogside neighborhood. It is a must-see for anyone wishing to understand and delve into the city's recent history and, by extension, the complicated history of Northern Ireland. It traces the historical and political context in which the neighborhood was born and puts Derry's past and the recent drama of Bloody Sunday in 1972 into perspective.

The event that set off the fire was the commemoration, in 1969, of the Apprentice Boys episode, which itself dates back to the 17th century and relates to the siege of the city by the Protestants, to fight against the arrival of a Catholic military garrison. In an already tense political climate, the passage of the procession near Bogside was considered a provocation by its inhabitants. Hostilities began, in an atmosphere of guerrilla warfare and barricades. The next day, soldiers of the British army were sent to guard the place, which only made the situation worse. This escalation culminated a few years later in the tragedy known as Bloody Sunday. A particularly striking piece in the museum is the film William McKinney made from the roof of a building that day. Surprised with his camera, he was killed on the spot. A museum, like a place of memory, obviously touching, hard too, but essential to the understanding of the neighborhood, the city and the country. The Museum of Free Derry was really necessary to restore the order of things and the truth. The deep and moving purpose of this museum is also to free the word and educate the public so that such events do not happen again and the truth is never suppressed in this way. The panels at the end of the exhibition on the role of the press in the treatment of Bloody Sunday are chilling and thought-provoking. We must go beyond appearances, keep our critical mind and defend above all justice and freedom. This is the vital message of the museum. To visit it at best, you can download an application to get explanations in French. It is a very interactive museum with archival videos, audio testimonies of survivors. Don't hesitate to ask questions to the museum staff, most of whom have lived through these events and will be happy to explain them to you in the most accurate way possible.